Just when all hope was Lost. As the Williams Sisters go into decline and it was only too easy to be resigned that it might be a generation or more before another African American woman would emerge to captivate the World of Tennis along comes Jamea Jackson.

Praise the Lord

Of course of course of course it is far too early to be convinced she will be as good as Venus or Serena let alone both of them combined but we have to deal in dreams and desire here in her Box this is BLACK Athlete Sports Network in the middle of a Sports World that is Lily White with a few exceptions.

So what caused all this Excitement

in the Box ?

One weekend in France

and the Fed Cup

Jackson was perfect going 2-0 in her Fed Cup debut upsetting predictions about how USA would do in the absence of so called star players. Little did they know a Star was Born in France this Weekend. An African American star. Soundly defeating her opponent one Martina Mueller so soundly Sunday Jamea has given our country an insurmountable lead that propels USA into the semi-finals of this Tournament to take place in July in Belgium.

Who were the missing Stars

that seemed to make USA’s prospects

Hopeless

Lindsay Davenport and yes

Venus & Serena

The Now Perennially Injured Williams Sisters

O Tennis where youth is measured in ‘dog years.’ Venus and Serena the Old Ladies of Tennis in their mid 20s. Ouch. Sports glory has its ragged edge. Father Time feasts on young athletes no where more than in tennis with the exception of gymnastics. As for Jamea Jackson she is just 19 entering her Prime. As brief as it may be. For the moment and a few years Jamea can revel in her Youth.

If not all that many.

So what is the Fed Cup ?

Let us quote from the Website …

“The idea for the event can be traced back to 1919, when Mrs. Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman came up with the concept for a women’s team competition. When this was rejected, she instead presented a trophy in 1923 for an annual contest between the United States and Great Britain, who were at that time the strongest tennis-playing nations.”

” Tennis is a sport that is inherently individualistic, but Fed Cup, like Davis Cup, offers players the chance to play for their country within a tightly knit team. It’s a challenge that most players rise to. The ITF is proud that tennis is one of the few but growing number of sports where women play a key role ? the Fed Cup provides an additional spotlight for their talents. ”

” The competition celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2003 and it is a fitting tribute to this historic event that the majority of the world’s top 20 players were among the 305 women that represented their country during the year. The 2006 Fed Cup has attracted entries from 89 nations, and will consist of an eight nation World Group I and an eight nation World Group II. The competition will be played over three weeks in a home and away format.”

That’s enough

it’s fair to say it is an impressive Competition

as for Jamea Jackson

Well her tennis resume is somewhat thin until now. She is ranked 75th in the world in Singles and all the way down at 423 in Doubles. Who cares. Jamea showed her True Colors in France this weekend. Her one claim to fame prior as obscure as it is is that Jackson has the footnote in tennis history as the first tennis player ever to use the newly installed instant replay system to challenge a call as she did recently at the 2006 NASDAQ 100 Open in Miami.

Now she’s got something far more important to brag about.

Jamea has Led

USA to Fed Cup Victory

in France in 2006

having established her Presence

let’s hope it’s just the Start

Long Live Princess Jamea

now it’s on to the French Open

in late May

Practice Practice Practice

Jamea become the True

Reigning Black Queen

of the Tennis World

Congratulations and

Good Luck

Whenever you want to reach us with commentsor better yet an idea for a topic for the Box …….